At some point the game changed. Very few sneakers in today’s market, save for retro releases of cult-classic Jordans and inimitable Nike legacy models, sell out and instill excitement solely on the strength of the athlete being represented or the appeal and design of the shoe itself. The athlete-endorsed sneaker is no longer the pair of kicks this generation of consumers aspires to.

Who’s to say when it officially began. Maybe it was 2002 when Supreme collaborated with Nike on the SB Dunk and launched a mutually beneficial collaborative relationship that still thrives to this day. Maybe it was when celebrity designers like Kanye West began releasing exciting product a decade ago that we reached our point of no return. Regardless, there’s no denying that today, sneakers designed in conjunction with a popular brand or the right celebrity sell out with more consistency and excitement, are generally harder to get and demand more money on the resale market than a whole host of athlete-endorsed performance basketball sneakers. Whether it’s one of the biggest rappers in the world or a company that just wants to make the world a better place, powerful collaborations continue to rule the industry at the moment.

Never forget: No online retailer has the same breadth and depth of selection as Grailed. From a lobster-inspired collaboration to a Hiroshi Fujiwara-helmed rework (and everything in between), in no particular order, these are our picks for the Rarest Sneakers on Grailed This Week.

Nike Air Yeezy II “Red October”

Year: 2014Listing Price: $8,250SIze: 13

Arguably the most elusive and exciting piece of Kanye West-designed footwear ever conceived, the Nike Air Yeezy II “Red Octobers” dropped via surprise release in February 2014, nearly two full years after the original colorways of the Air Yeezy II debuted. More importantly, this drop marked the official end of Nike’s lucrative Yeezy creative collaboration. West wore these during SNL and Governor’s Ball performances in 2013, so by the time these finally hit the market, hype was at an all-time high. By February 2014, West had already announced his move to adidas but, in a metaphorical off-loading of the partnership, Nike surprised dropped these on a Sunday (as expected, they sold out instantly). There are very few available on Grailed and are one of the most sought after shoes of the entire decade.

Jordan I “UNC”

Year: 1985Listing Price: $1,200Size: 10

In honor of Eric Koston’s successful Nike SB Air Jordan I “UNC” release from last week, it’s only right to pull out the genuine article for this week’s list. This gem from 1985 is full of the requisite wear and tear that comes with a 34-year-old shoe, but despite the noticeable scuffs and marks, there is nothing quite like that classic Carolina blue on a Jordan I. The UNC pair is a tough one to track down and there are only a handful floating around on Grailed. Throw a clean pair of white laces on and these might even be wearable.

Concepts x Nike Dunk SB Low “Lobster”

Year: 2008Listing Price: $795Size: 11.5

In 2008, Cambridge-based retailer Concepts partnered with Nike SB to drop its first collaboration, the red “Lobster.” When designer Rob Heppler was searching for a perfect marriage of ideas for this collaboration, he knew the lobster route was the way to go. “What does Boston have?” he recalled to Sneaker News in 2016. “When someone’s visiting, they always want to have lobster.” The release was so successful that Nike tapped them to drop three more colorways over the ensuing decade. Notable for the rubber band wrapped around the toebox (a small detail reminiscent of the same rubber bands used to hold lobster claws shut at fish markets) the yellow and purple pairs go for far more on the resale market, but the red is the one that started it all.

Editor's Note: Since the time of publication, the original listing has been deleted.

Nike SB Dunk High “U.N.K.L.E.”

Year: 2004Listing Price: $2,085Size: 10.5

Released to celebrate the release of U.N.K.L.E.’s “Never, Never Land” album, this particular Nike SB Dunk is notable for featuring artwork from legendary graffiti legend Futura. The upper, adorned with Futura’s signature “Pointman” character, is clearly influenced by the cover art on “Never, Never Land”—also by Futura. Reportedly, there were less than 1,000 paris of this pink, black and silver SB Dunk released to the public; even though Futura allegedly never gave Nike his blessing for this release, this remains an especially important SB Dunk drop.

Fragment Design x Nike Jordan I “Fragment”

Year: 2014Listing Price: $2,700
Size: 8.5

Five years after its original release, the Jordan I “Fragment” is still one of the most sought after kicks on the internet. The legendary Hiroshi Fujiwara and his Fragment Design imprint chose the Jordan I, a sneaker that is synonymous with streetwear culture, and remastered it with premium leather and the trademark Fragment logo. Despite some minimal creasing, this pair appears to be in great condition. Good luck finding a pair, as these listings come few and far between.

Parley x adidas Ultra Boost Uncaged “For The Oceans”

Year: 2016Listing Price: $5,000Size: 4

Want to drop a lot of money on expensive sneakers but feel like you’re contributing positively to the environment? Parley, the non-profit collective with a focus on cleaning up our oceans, teamed up with adidas to cut down on waste and make ocean-friendly apparel from recycled products. In 2017 alone, adidas and Parley sold over one million pairs of sneakers made with recycled ocean plastic. Out of all their collaborations, this Uncaged Ultra Boost from 2016 stands apart as the first shoe composed of ocean plastic and is easily the rarest. With an upper designed to mimic illegal deep seas fishing nets and ocean waves only 50 pairs were released via contest, so here’s your chance to snag a piece of environmental history.

Raf Simons Vandal High

Year: 2010Listing Price: $720Size: 8

Menswear iconRaf Simons re-imagined the classic Nike Vandal silhouette with a synthetic canvas upper and Italian rubber. Originally released in his Fall/Winter 2010 collection, this remains one of the hardest Raf sneakers to track down, despite his ever-present popularity on Grailed. This all-black listing appears to be in impeccable shape and at a relatively modest price point considering how scarce these sneakers are. If you’re a Raf fan, act fast, because there are only a handful of Vandals available on Grailed.

Nike SB Dunk Low “Heineken”

Year: 2003Listing Price: $700Size: 10

One of the most popular Nike SB models of all time, the “Heineken” is a no-brainer for this week’s list. Inspired by the Dutch brand’s beer bottle, these feature white leather uppers and green nubuck with a black swoosh—not to mention the obvious red star by the heel. These pairs landed Nike in a bit of hot water after release; created without the blessing of Heineken, this unofficial homage to the brand have become cult classics within the wider Nike SB archive. There is noticeable wear and tear on this listing, but considering this is one of the most elusive sneakers of the past 15 years, it’s a small price to pay for a piece of sneakerhead lore.

Tom Sachs x Nike “Mars Yard 2.0”

Year: 2017Listing Price: $4,500Size: 9

Contemporary artist Tom Sachs collaborated with Nike to release the Mars Yard 2.0 in 2017, but with a very unique twist. The sneakers were released in conjunction with his “Space Camp” on Governors Island, a part obstacle course, part learning experience. The shoes are designed to be “worn to death” according to Sachs’ handwritten message on the box, but that doesn’t stop collectors and re-sellers from keeping these as clean as possible, like this listing here. This listing comes complete with the collector’s booklet—very few of these packages are available on Grailed in this condition. Posers need not apply.

Atmos x Nike Air Max 1 B “Safari”

Year: 2002Listing Price: 1,110Size: 9

Regular Nike collaborator and Japanese sneaker retailer Atmos has done plenty of memorable work with the Air Max series—especially the Air Max 1 silhouette. Created in 2002, shortly after Atmos began its working relationship with Nike in 2001, Atmos’ first Air Max 1 collaboration earns its inspiration (and name) from the Tinker Hatfield-designed Air Safai. While this sneaker was ultimately rereleased with some textile tweaks in 2016 to tie in with the Air Max 1’s 35th anniversary, you can’t top an OG release.

Editor's Note: Since the time of publication, the original listing has been deleted.